Recipes

RECIPES FOR PICKY EATERS

cauliflower popcorn

yield: 4 servings

Who woulda thunk that cauliflower could actually become addictive? But it’s true. With this dead-simple, high-temperature roasting process known as caramelization, basic off-the-rack cauliflower is miraculously transformed into sweet, lip-smackin’ candy bombs that the kids in your world—and even you—won’t be able to get enough of.

1 head cauliflower

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon salt

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Cut out and discard cauliflower core and thick stems. Trim remaining cauliflower into florets the size of golf balls. In a large bowl, add cauliflower, olive oil, and salt. Toss thoroughly.

Spread cauliflower on a baking sheet (lined with parchment paper, if available, for easy cleanup). Roast for 1 hour, or until much of each floret has become golden brown. (That’s the caramelization process converting the dormant natural sugars into sweetness). The browner the florets, the sweeter they will taste. Turn 3 or 4 times during roasting.

Use crumpled up aluminum foil or paper towels to create a false bottom in your popcorn container, fill it with cauliflower, and serve immediately.

shortcuts Buy the precut cauliflower in the lazy boy section of the produce department.

advance work Raw cauliflower can be precut and refrigerated for up to 2 days in an airtight bag or a bowl of water. With minimal sacrifice, cauliflower can be cooked earlier in the day and reheated in a 450°F oven for 10 minutes.

beanie sliders

Yield: 8 sliders

Veggie burgers get a bad rap—and for good reason. They are usually thin and dry with a hint of sawdust. These kid-friendly sliders are luscious and satisfying. They deliver lot of healthy protein, fiber, and nutrients, with none of the saturated fat and all the fun of a burger.

ingredients

1 15oz/425g can white navy beans

3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil, divided

1 carrot, peeled

1 medium golden beet, or one small Italian squash

½ yellow bell pepper

1 egg

2/3 cup panko or breadcrumbs, divided

¼ teaspoon salt (may vary depending on beans). Adjust to taste

1 pinch pepper

8 “slider”-size hamburger buns

optional toppings

cheese slices

avocado slices

ketchup

pickles

Rinse beans thoroughly. Reserve in a bowl

Grate the carrot, beet (or squash) and yellow pepper on the coarse side of a box grater. Reserve.

Transfer contents of veggie pan to the bowl of beans. Use a potato masher or fork to mix and slightly mash the mixture. Add egg, 1/3 cup of panko, salt and pepper. Mix all of the ingredients with a fork, then use your hands to press the mixture into slider-size patties.

Place remaining panko in a shallow bowl. Roll the patties in the panko to coat.

In a sauté pan over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons oil. When oil is hot, add patties. Cover with a lid and cook for 3 minutes per side, or until cooked throughout. Serve on buns with your (or your kid’s) choice of optional toppings.

Notes:

Feel free to improvise and/or use veggies from your kids “preapproved” list. Minced greens such as kale, or spinach are a great addition, if they are sanctioned by you know who.

Uncooked burger mixture will last in the refrigerator for a couple of days. The mixture, or formed, uncooked patties can also be frozen.

For a grown-up version, add some chopped garlic and onion to the veggies when cooking, and a few sprigs of fresh mint to the beans when mashing.

salmon cupcakes

yield: 8 cupcakes

(NOTE: CUPCAKE IN PHOTO HAS A MASHED POTATO AND DILL ICING)

2 sweet potatoes

Salt and pepper

2 eggs

1 pound salmon fillet

1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped

¼ cup bread crumbs or panko

2 tablespoons sour cream

zest of 1 lemon + 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

¼ cup finely chopped Italian parsley leaves

8 cupcake liners

muffin tin

icing

Bake sweet potatoes until tiny sugar beads appear on the skin.

Use a ricer, food mill, or a standard-issue fork to mash potatoes. Reserve.

cupcakes

Skin salmon if necessary and rough chop. To a food processor, add egg, salmon, bell pepper, breadcrumbs, sour cream, lemon zest and juice, parsley, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Pulse 4 or 5 times, or until coarsely chopped and well blended. If you don’t have a food processor, chop ingredients finer than indicated and blend in a bowl. Reserve. At this point salmon can be refrigerated for up to a day.

to finish and serve

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Line a muffin tin with 8 paper liners. Spoon salmon mixture into liners. Gently press salmon down and flatten level with the top of the tin.

Just before putting salmon cupcakes in the oven, transfer mashed sweet potatoes to a bowl and cover with aluminum foil. Place bowl over a pot of simmering water for 5 minutes, or until potatoes are hot.

Bake cupcakes for 8 minutes, or until cakes are fully set, yet still moist. Remove cakes from tin immediately so that they do not continue to cook.

Use a piping bag with a star tip, or a table knife to ice the cupcakes.

advance work The fish mixture can be prepared earlier in the day, to the point that the cakes are ready to be baked. Bake and ice just before serving; Potatoes can be baked earlier in the day then reheated over a double boiler just before serving.

tofu lollypops

yield: 16 lollypops

(Note: see Chicken Lollypop recipe below for presentation photo)

ingredients

½ cup unsweetened apricot preserves

1 lime

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (optional)

1 package extra firm tofu (comes in a brick-shaped package)

2/3 cup flour

2 eggs

2/3 cup panko

1/3 cup grated parmesan

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried thyme

1 watermelon wedge or pineapple

16 6-inch bamboo skewers

In a small bowl, mix apricot, 1 tablespoon of lime juice and Dijon until smooth. Transfer to a small ramekin and reserve.

Cut 16 pieces of tofu, roughly 4cm x3cm x1cm in size. Season with salt and pepper.

Set out 3 medium bowls. Place flour in one, crack the eggs into the second and beat them, and add panko, parmesan, oregano and thyme in the third. Line the three bowls in a row.

Gently toss about a third of the tofu pieces in flour until well covered, then swirl in egg until well soaked, and finally, roll in panko mixture until completely covered. Transfer to a plate and repeat process with remaining tofu.

In a frying pan, over medium-high heat, melt butter and add oil. When butter begins to sizzle add breaded tofu pieces. Cook for approximately 3 minutes on the first side, or until bottom is golden brown. Turn once and cook for approximately 2 more minutes, or until the second side is golden brown.

Transfer tofu to a plate. Insert skewer through the thin side of the tofu, then stick skewers in the watermelon wedge or pineapple. Serve with the apricot dip.active prep 20 minutes cooking time 10 minutes

shortcuts Buy Italian-style bread crumbs that are seasoned with herbs and cheese.

advance work Tofu can be breaded earlier in the day and refrigerated on a plate.

multiplicity For each additional batch of lollypops, make an additional half recipe of the bread crumb mixture.

chicken lollypops

yield: 16 lollypops

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2/3 cup flour

2 eggs

2/3 cup panko or coarse bread crumbs

1/3 cup grated parmesan

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried thyme

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 watermelon wedge or pineapple (for presentation)

16 6-inch bamboo skewers

Remove the chicken tender and place the chicken breasts shiny side up. Use a mallet to flatten the breasts and tenders to ¼-inch thickness. Cut the flattened chicken into 1-inch(ish) squares. Season with salt and pepper.

Set out 3 medium bowls. Place flour in one, crack the eggs into the second and beat them, and add panko, parmesan, oregano and thyme in the third. Line the three bowls in a row.

Toss about a third of the chicken in flour until well covered, then swirl in egg until well soaked, and finally, roll in panko mixture until completely covered. Transfer to a plate and repeat process with remaining chicken.

In a frying pan, over medium-high heat, melt butter and add oil. When butter begins to sizzle add chicken. Cook for approximately 3 minutes on the first side, or until bottom is golden brown. Turn once and cook for approximately 2 more minutes, or until the second side is golden brown and the nuggets are cooked throughout. To test for doneness, make a small incision in a sacrificial nugget. If any pink remains, return to heat for another minute or two.

Transfer chicken to a plate. Insert skewer through the thin side of the chicken, then stick skewers in watermelon wedge or pineapple.level of difficulty Think Shake ‘N Bake.

active prep 20 minutes cooking time 10 minutes

shortcuts Buy Italian-style bread crumbs that are seasoned with herbs and cheese.

advance work Chicken can be breaded earlier in the day and refrigerated on a plate.

multiplicity For each additional batch of lollypops, make an additional half recipe of the bread crumb mixture.